After the spectacular regular season the Lakers just blessed us with, we have no choice (we’ll see about that) but to be receptive to the above perception. Welcome to the re-mix of LA Lore.

Some opponents already are reduced to speaking in glowing terms, almost reverently, about the Lakers. There’s a nauseating spirit of invincibility emanating from their players and coaching staff. Yet, instead of being irked by the swagger, the bluster and the air of superiority, the enemy seems to be in awe.

A sense of inevitability and resignation pervades throughout the league. It’s past being a matter of if, it’s (MD+IT)when(MD-IT) will the coronation take place. “Three, ‘fo, ‘fo, ‘fo,” as Moses Malone would say. Anything less than 15 straight victories will taint the Lakers’ wonderfully simonized image.

Rating the western conference competition is easy; it’s simply LA and the seven dwarfs.

LAKERS

Anything less than a title would be unacceptable . . . to Donald Sterling. In Shaquille O’Neal, they have the NBA’s most imposing force since the drug test.

Nevertheless, unless you’re suffering short-term memory loss, there has to be at least a fragment of trepidation (in my mind, anyway) to anoint this team (any team) after they’ve been chimney-swept from the playoff the last two seasons.

The way I feel, the frustration and degradation of being vaporized 4-0 are still fresh enough in the fragile egos of Shaq and the Staple Singers (Kobe Bryant, Rick Fox, Robert Horry and Glen Rice who had one odious experience) for opponents to capitalize on.

Beat ’em on their own home court in the first round when the margin for error is minuscule and let’s see ’em sweat and squirm. Get ’em down one when the pressure is at its greatest and they’re liable to revert to form. Get ’em thinking about the past and they may suffer a crippling relapse.

Of course, the flip side is, if the Lakers don’t start pointing fingers when they’re down, if they don’t fold up along the dotted lines, if Shaq doesn’t come unhinged from the free throw line at crunch time, if they’re able to recover their wits and camaraderie, then call the coroner; because there’s going to be a lot of slow singing and flower bringing.

Because the Lakers will become all that, with a dime sack and a payback.

In other words, with apologies to Shawn Kemp, the Lakers will become impregnable.

Just in case the Lakers do an early flop and are in need of heart transplant, owner Jerry Buss has Noel Elliott’s phone number on speed-dial.

(MD+BO)Afterthought(MD-BO): To further reaffirm Jackson’s determination to distance himself from losers, I’m told he just denounced Bill Bradley.

SPURS

This is very uncomplicated; if Tim Duncan is hurting for certain then San Antonio’s chances of repeating are meniscus.

That would be a shame since this can be the final intermittent run of a team as we know it; six players are free agents-to-be, including Duncan. In addition, Sean Elliott is certain to leave while his bionic body’s intact.

(MD+BO)Afterthought(MD-BO): Who would’ve thought that last June, as we watched San Antonio win one for the ABA, that it could be forgetting the Alamo a season later?

BLAZERS

This easily could be Mike Dunleavy’s defining moment as an NBA head coach. Having watched his team go on sabbatical following its home loss to the Lakers (15-10 since), Portland still has the talent to torture LA. But does it have the temperament?

Despite unquestionable friction between several veterans and the coach (they question his rotations, shot calling and communication yet lack the courage to confront him on those issues), the team appears to have righted itself at the end, winning four straight and six of seven.

Rasheed Wallace has emerged as the go-to guy and deservedly so; when coherent he’s one of the league’s top 10 players.

This could be a classic case of a team having too much talent. The best thing that could happen to Dunleavy is foul trouble.

(MD+BO)Afterthought(MD-BO): Must have a healthy (or as healthy as a 70-year-old Lithuanian can be) Arvydas Sabonis, ’cause Paul Allen needs the live playoff gate to help pay Microsoft’s government fine.

TIMBERWOLVES

Kevin McHale and Flip Saunders should be congratulated on two fronts: (1) They won’t take Clem Haskins’ phone calls and (2) they’ve constructed a team good enough to win 50 games, one that certainly would get out of the first round (for the first time in franchise history) if they were playing in the East instead of facing the Blazers.

The key for this team is “realignment.” You’d think, as one of the league’s Top 50 players, McHale would have the pull either to have the state moved or the team.

After Kevin Garnett, the T’Wolves don’t have much resistance up front unless Joe Smith suddenly proves why he was once the draft’s pick of the litter.

Wally Szczerbiak, a surprisingly effective defender and passer, is guaranteed to have the biggest impact in the playoffs of any rookie now that he’s healthy. In 53 starts, his team went 35-18 and ZZ Tops shot 52.6 percent form the field (7th best in the league) and averaged 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists. In games, he didn’t start or missed (nine), the T’Wolves were 15-14.

(MD+BO)Afterthought(MD-BO): If Terrell Brandon, Malik Sealy, Anthony Peeler and Szczerbiak can’t keep defenders from suffocating Garnett, the T’Wolves will have the distinction of being the first NBA team to open the season in Japan and end it getting bombed.

JAZZ

I can’t get visibly excited over a 500-year-old team that was one game over .500 in the last 11 games of the season. But like the Feds versus Darrell Garretson, there’s enough ammo to make them dangerous.

Big Three aside (remember this is Jeff Hornacek’s last run if he can actually still run on his bum knee), Bryon Russell is the only other player opponents have to take seriously. No nuclear subs here, Howard Eisley the closest to being a legitimate threat. Armen Gilliam and Quincy Lewis hardly compensate for the loss of Shandon Anderson.

The good news is, they avoided the Lakers in the first round. The bad news is, they couldn’t avoid each other.

Back in the playoffs after missing post-season last year for the first time since ’89-90, the year before Gary Payton arrived. Paul Westphal shook up the lineup in final weeks, not exactly a confidence builder for Vin Baker, Ruben Patterson and Brent Barry. Yet the trio handled it well and may have earned back their starting jobs. If Baker’s performance against the Kings (23 points, nine rebounds) doesn’t win back his job, Westphal risks losing him to Bison Dele’s cult for the remainder of his bloated contract.

(MD+BO)Afterthought(MD-BO): If Seattle goes quietly, look for Payton to demand a trade to play closer to Ken Griffey Jr.’s family.

KINGS

Rick Adelman, who is in deep job jeopardy should they get embarrassed in Round One, is still twitching after loss to Sonics that cemented matchup with Lakers. Team has dropped 14 of last 17 on road (West worst 14-27 away from Arco) and now must steal one at Staples. We have the “Y-2 Kings” looking at “Y-8-and-out.”

LA and Sacramento are only two teams in West averaging more than 100 points, so you’d figure the Kings only shot is, in words of J.R. Rider, “Run and gun and gun and gun.” What to do with Jason Williams, that turnover machine? Apparently it’s not in the Kings’ favor nor his own to be pitted against the one team you really don’t want to give extra possessions to.

(MD+BO)Afterthought(MD-BO): Series could be so brief, Chris Webber won’t miss any of those Driver’s Ed classes.

SUNS

Very quietly, they compiled second best home record (32-9) in West. Can Randy Livingston be a steady influence at the point in place of Jason Kidd (out ’till Round Two, minimum) and Kevin (groin injury) Johnson? Or does Penny Hardaway have to handle that chore as well as pacing the team in scoring. No matter what happens, Penny has demonstrated he can be the leader Brian Hill always knew he could be.

Suns must get something (anything) out of Luc Longley; (Bob Costas says you can make a case for him being replaced on the Australian Olympic team) Sean Marion must amp up his game as well. If Jerry Colangelo is threatening to bring back Jerrod Mustaf.

Keep in mind, more playoff games means more per diem for Oliver Miller.

(MD+BO)Afterthought(MD-BO): This just in: Janey Reno has ordered Elian Gonzalez be returned to Danny Ainge’s family.